Small Chapter CME Grants
*For Chapters with 50 members or less and one to two meetings a year
What is a CME Grant: Continuing Medical Education (CME) grants can be obtained to offset costs of your educational conferences/meetings. Most CME grants come from pharmaceutical companies and are designated for specific courses.
Steps:
- Get Board Approval
Make sure that your Board has approved the use of CME grants to support your educational conferences/meetings.
- Match Educational Course(s) With Pharmaceutical Company Interest
Each pharmaceutical company will be interested in only those course topics that relate to a disorder, disease or aliment treatable by their current or future drugs. You can find out the pharmaceutical company’s current list of products by visiting their main website, their online CME website (see attached list), or by asking your members. You can also ask for help in matching your courses with potential CME funders by contacting ACEP’s Director of Grant and Foundation Development (contact information below).
- Locate CME Grant Submission Sites and Deadline Requirements
Most pharmaceutical companies require online submissions of grant proposals. A list of website links is attached. On these websites, you will find submission deadline requirements, which are usually 45-60 days before the educational course will be presented.
- Write Proposal
Each pharmaceutical company will want specific information relating to your conference, such as: - Course title and objectives
- Course speaker
- Number of CME credits
- Location and date of conference and courses
- Assessment/evaluation procedures
- Number and profession of expected attendees
- Plans to promote the conference
- Detailed budget of course expenses
All required information needed for your proposal will be outlined in the submission requirements in the company’s website. See attached example of a CME grant proposal.
- If a CME Grant is Awarded
You will be required to sign a contract with the pharmaceutical company before the funds can be released to your chapter. After the educational conference, you will be required to submit a report, details of which will have been outlined in the contract. These reports may require you to provide the number of attendees at the course, summary of the written evaluations, and an accounting of how the funds were spent.
- Acknowledgement of Grant
You should provide signage of the company’s support of specific courses. ACEP National usually does this with the name and logo of the company on a large sign outside the door of the course room. The expenses of this sign can be included in the proposal budget.
Contact Information
Contact Cynthia Singh, Director of Grant and Foundation Development, at csingh@acep.org or
800-798-1822 x3217 to discuss CME grant opportunities for your chapter.
Small Chapter Sponsorships
*For Chapters with 50 Members or Less and One to Two Meetings a Year
What is Sponsorship: The definition of a sponsorship is a relationship that benefits and funds the mission of the organization or program, while at the same time creates value for the sponsor. Sponsorship is not a contribution or donation. When developing a prospective list of sponsors, think about what companies would have a natural tie-in with your organization, its audience, and mission and would benefit from being involved with your group.
Identify Your Sponsor Benefits Package
Sponsors are seeking opportunities for recognition, branding and promoting their name and public relations extensions, and access to your members and leaders. We recommend that you craft a sponsorship proposal that provides as many benefits as possible across all of these areas, and provides year-round exposure and participation for your sponsor.
Be sure, however, that your Board has approved your sponsorship packages before proceeding to launch them and that your staff and leadership are able and willing to deliver all the benefits promised to a sponsor. Consider ahead how much staff time will be needed to support whatever benefits you promise to deliver to sponsors. This is critical to ensuring that you deliver upon the sponsors’ expectations and retain the sponsorship commitment long-term. Your goal should be to develop successful, long-term sponsor relationships that will result in ongoing funding of Chapter events and programs.
Potential sponsors fall broadly into two categories:
- Endemic: healthcare related companies. Pharmaceutical companies, equipment manufacturers – anything that a member would use in the practice of emergency medicine
- Non-endemic: everything else. Auto dealers, financial planners, shoe stores, home security companies, etc.
Contributing Chapter Sponsors
- Recognition at all Chapter Meetings by the President as Contributing Sponsor
- Opportunity to make brief introductory remarks at a Chapter meeting
- Table-top display at a Chapter meeting provided in prominent location. Sponsor may provide promotional items or drawings from their display for attendees, or provide refreshments (optional opportunity).
- Two-time use of Chapter membership list. Chapter must approve all sponsor mailings prior to their distribution.
- Sponsor recognition in Chapter newsletter two times a year. Distribution: (include number of members receiving newsletter)
- Year-round recognition on the Chapter Web site with 100 word company descriptor, logo and link to sponsor’s home page.
- Opportunity to meet one-on-one with Chapter President and/or executive staff for one hour to discuss issues of importance to the sponsor
- Special opportunity to host Chapter Board meeting. Sponsor will receive recognition and opportunity for brief remarks at the Board meeting and to join the leadership for lunch.
- Opportunity for sponsor to promote their support of the Chapter on their Web site and other materials as "Proud Sponsor of Chapter"
- Recognition signage at all Chapter meetings as Contributing Chapter Sponsor
- Award plaque and special award presentation by Chapter leadership at a Chapter meeting
- Recognition signage as Contributing Chapter Sponsor at ACEP national conference, Scientific Assembly, in the Chapter Services Booth. Attendance: 5,000 emergency physicians
- Contributing Chapter Sponsor ribbons provided to sponsor executives at all Chapter meetings or events
Sponsorship Investment
(Insert Price of Sponsorship here, Term of sponsorship; 1 year/2 year term, and if sponsorship offers Category Exclusivity or Sole Exclusivity)
